Heretofore, a variety of devices have been used for protecting a potential victim from a potential perpetrator of crime. These devices can basically be broken into two categories. The first category includes offensive devices such as MACE brand chemical irritant, stun-guns, and revolvers. To stop a perpetrator of crime, an offensive device must be carried, located, armed, aimed and fired with accuracy by an often panic-stricken, potential victim. This is not an easy task considering the inherent problems associated with offensive devices.
Specifically, most offensive devices cannot be conveniently carried at all times and are often intentionally left behind even though needed. Similarly, being victimized does not usually dominate the mind of the potential victim. As a result, such devices are often unintentionally left behind. Furthermore, potential victims do not want to appear fearful of potential perpetrators and might intentionally leave behind personal protection devices which give such appearances.
Even when carried, offensive devices are often not easily located. Such devices are often jumbled within a purse making access time consuming to a point of failure. Similarly, searching for these devices in pockets, socks or other hiding places might cost precious time when one could instead be running away.
Arming such offensive devices, especially in the dark, also poses serious problems to the panicking victim. Yet without effective arming mechanisms, accidental triggering might occur, yielding potentially devastating consequences.
Once armed, a panic stricken, potential victim using an offensive weapon regularly fails to aim and fire with accuracy. Even when successful, the victim suffers dire consequences if the application of the offensive weapon is wrongful. For all of these reasons such offensive devices are inherently undesirable and prone to fail.
Moreover, seeing that a potential victim is attempting to use an offensive weapon, a perpetrator is likely to react by inflicting an elevated level of harm onto the victim. The perpetrator may also react by attempting to gain control of the victim's offensive device before it can be used. Once in the perpetrator's possession, the device might be used against the victim.
Defensive devices are the second category of personal protection devices which include both audible and telemetered alarms. Although known defensive devices alleviate the problems associated with aiming and firing, such devices are still subject to the other problems which plague offensive devices, while providing a few new problems of their own.
For example, many defensive devices fail to provide easy intentional triggering while preventing accidental triggering. Similarly, once triggered, most of these devices fail to prevent the perpetrator from disabling the devices while still providing the potential victim with the capability to reset the device. In addition, many defensive devices can be easily taken from the victim and disabled by: 1) the mere action of taking possession; 2) tossing the device away from the scene of the crime; 3) disconnecting the power source; or 4) smashing the device on the ground.
More specifically, telemetered alarms transmit ultrasonic, infrared or radio frequency signals to a remote receiver. The receiver responds by providing notification to the police who might also track the signal. Yet, even though such systems do aid in the apprehension of the perpetrator, they do not provide the immediate deterrent effect that an offensive device provides. As a result, the crime often still occurs. Additionally, because these telemetered systems do not operate outside of the limited reception range of the remote receiver, they do not provide adequate performance where the wearer is highly mobile.
Unlike the telemetered alarm, known audible alarms do offer immediate deterrence yet again create further problems. Audible alarms are either electrically powered or take the form of a whistle or air horn. Whistles and air horns can easily be taken from the potential victim. Once taken, these devices are immediately disabled, and thus only provide a brief period of deterrence. Thereafter, the perpetrator can complete the crime.
Electrically powered, audible alarms are known that effectively protect personal property. Such alarms, however, are not easily adaptable for portable use by a potential victim for several reasons. First, alarm systems which protect material objects such as buildings or motor vehicles are rather large, bulky and not portable. They are specifically designed without space constraints in mind because of the adequate size of the facility in which they are housed.
Secondly, the desire for a high-intensity audible output takes precedent over size. To effectively provide personal protection, the alarm signal must be loud enough to draw the attention and assistance of others and, as an added advantage, to irritate the ear of the potential perpetrator. Large speakers and signal amplifiers are used to generate such high-intensity sound.
Thirdly, such large speakers and signal amplifiers require a relatively large amount of power. This power requirement is accomplished with the utilization of house current or car batteries, making the alarm system difficult or impossible to carry or wear.
Even those electrically powered, known audible alarms which purport to provide effective personal protection fail to solve a variety of the problems enumerated above. It would be highly desirable to have an audible alarm which provides a high-intensity alarm sound for protecting a potential victim from perpetrators of crime and which solves these problems.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a portable high-intensity sonic alarm which cannot be used by the potential perpetrator against the potential victim, or cannot be mistakenly used by the potential victim to cause detrimental consequences.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a portable high-intensity sonic alarm which does not create an appearance of fearfulness and can be conveniently carried by a potential victim in a location that can easily be accessed even in the dark, while being unlikely to be unintentionally left behind.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a portable high-intensity sonic alarm that can be intentionally turned ON quickly and easily without impeding the potential victim's ability to flee, yet is difficult to accidentally turn ON.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable high-intensity sonic alarm that is very difficult for a perpetrator of crime to turn OFF, while still providing the potential victim with a method of turning the alarm OFF.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a portable high-intensity sonic alarm which provides an immediate deterrent effect for the highly-mobile, potential victim.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable alarm which produces a sonic alarm signal of such high-intensity as to draw the attention and assistance of others.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a high-intensity sonic alarm which is not only extremely portable, but is also designed so as to be desirable to wear from a fashion standpoint.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a portable high-intensity sonic alarm that accomplishes the foregoing objects and is disguised as a wrist watch, bracelet or conventional item.